Fresh veggies with chicken & rice pasta dish

I think the best meals are the ones you grow. The satisfaction you get from reaping what you sow if a feeling like none other. Fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers... Mmm! I have 2 large 1/2 whiskey barrels I used for my herb planters. You can nicely fit 3-4 plants of your favourite herbs in there. The trick to whiskey barrels (they burn out the alcohol first before they're sold in garden centres) is that you need proper drainage. So, drill some 1/4 inch sized holes 6-8 spots around the middle of the barrel before filling with good soil. What will make your barrel last longer is putting 1-2 inch thick styrofoam around the inside edge to not only insulate the barrel over winter, but keeps the wood from breaking down over time.

What to plant: What do you like? For pastas, I like oregano, parsley and basil. I have thyme and rosemary for my pork and chicken dishes too. Chives are very hardy and they'll come back every year and work for everything from soups and sauces to dips and garnish.

Photography by Mathew McCarthy

Fresh herbs: Oregano, parsley and basil from the garden

Ingredients
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly shaved or grated
1 medium onion, chopped and sliced
10-12 green beans, chopped
2 tbsp. tomato paste
splash red or white wine (about 1/4 cup)
2 4-6 oz. boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp. balsamic vinagrette
3 tbsp. fresh herbs

Fresh veggies  picked an hour before cooking.

Rice pasta - spaghetti or fettucini noodles - enough for 4 people
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
sea salt for seasoning
1 cup shredded mozzarella (optional)

In a large stock pot, boil water for pasta. In large skillet, add 1 tbsp. olive oil and 3 cloves of shaved garlic and heat on med-high for 30 seconds. Add onion, pepper and beans. Turn heat to medium and stir until onions look translucent.
Once water is boiled for pasta, add dry pasta, stir and cook according to package directions.
Meanwhile, add chicken and balsamic vinagrette to veggies in pan and stir occasionally to brown chicken. Cook for about 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Stir in tomato paste and herbs. Stir well to coat all pan ingredients. Add a splash (about 1/4 cup) of red wine and stir well. Turn heat to low and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, stir will and remove from heat.
When pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking of pasta. Drain well. In a large skillet, add remaining tbsp. olive oil and 1 clove garlic shaved. Heat for 30 seconds to heat through. Add drained pasta and toss quickly for about one minute.
Remove from heat. Divide pasta into 4 bowls and top with shredded cheese if using. Top with one quarter of chicken and veggies mixture.
Add coarse sea salt to taste and serve.